Substance detecting apparatus

• US 8,771,608 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benjamin S. Harmon
• Original Assignee: Benjamin S. Harmon
• Inventors: Nowlin, Timothy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, Lyle
• Application Number:
  US13/317,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 422/401, 422/404, 422/409, 422/430, 422/500
• US Class Current: 422/409
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14 Devices for taking samples of blood hypodermic syringes A61M5/00; Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration within the blood, pH-value of blood measuring of blood pressure A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150358 Strips for collecting blood, e.g. absorbent optical reagent test strips G01N21/8483; chemical reagent test strips G01N33/4875, G01N33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/78 producing a change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/4875 Details of handling test elements, e.g. dispensing or storage, not specific to a particular test method test-elements per se B01L, automatic analysers G01N35/00, in-vivo analysis on the human body for medical diagnosis A61B
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/492 Determining multiple analytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/543 with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/94 involving narcotics or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptors

Abstract

An apparatus for using sensors having test strip with sheaths surrounding sensitive area configured to detect certain substance in a liquid test specimen includes a carrier having spaced-apart openings to frictionally hold the sensors, a loading portion to insert the sensors through the openings and to displace the sheaths thereby exposing predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas of the sensors, a testing portion including a container for containing a test specimen as only specified lengths of the predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas of the sensors are submerged in the test specimen, and an extracting portion structured and configured to receive the carrier with the plurality of said sensors inserted therethrough, the extracting portion having a comb-like structure for displacing the sheaths to return them to their stowed configurations and to eject the sensors from the carrier.

Claims

1. An apparatus for utilizing at least one sensor having a test strip with a sensitive area surrounded by a slidably displaceable sheath in a stowed configuration wherein the sensitive area is configured to detect the presence of a certain substance in a liquid test specimen, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a carrier having at least one opening,

(b) a loading portion structured and configured to;

(1) receive at least one sensor positioned upright therein wherein a user is enabled to cause said at least one sensor to be operatively and frictionally inserted through the at least one opening of the carrier, and

(2) cause a sheath of said at least one sensor to be slidably displaced from a stowed configuration thereby exposing a predetermined length of a sensitive area of said at least one sensor;

(c) a testing portion including;

(1) a base,

(3) a container alignable with the base, and

(2) a testing platform adjustably mounted to the base and structured to support the carrier with said at least one sensor inserted therethrough wherein only a specified length of the predetermined length of the sensitive area of said at least one sensor is submerged in a test specimen contained in the container; and

(d) an extracting portion structured and configured to receive the carrier with said at least one sensor inserted therethrough, the extracting portion including;

(1) a comb-like element structured and configured to operatively displace and return the sheath of said at least one sensor to its stowed configuration, and

(2) an end wall with studs structured and configured to operatively eject said at least one sensor from the carrier.

2. An apparatus for utilizing a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a test strip with a sensitive area surrounded by a slidably displaceable sheath in a stowed configuration wherein the sensitive area of each sensor is configured to detect the presence of a certain substance in a liquid test specimen, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a carrier having a plurality of spaced-apart openings;

(b) a loading portion structured and configured to;

(1) receive a plurality of said sensors positioned upright therein wherein a user is enabled to cause the plurality of said sensors to be operatively and frictionally inserted through the plurality of openings of the carrier, and

(2) cause sheaths of the plurality of said sensors to be slidably displaced from their stowed configurations thereby exposing predetermined lengths of sensitive areas of the plurality of said sensors;

(c) a testing portion including;

(1) a base,

(2) a container alignable with the base, and

(3) a testing platform adjustably mounted to the base and structured to support the carrier with the plurality of said sensors inserted therethrough wherein only specified lengths of the predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas of the plurality of said sensors are submerged in a test specimen contained in the container; and

(d) an extracting portion structured and configured to receive the carrier with the plurality of said sensors inserted therethrough, the extracting portion including;

(1) a comb-like element structured and configured to operatively displace the sheaths of the plurality of said sensors thereby returning the sheaths to their stowed configurations, and

(2) an end wall with studs structured and configured to operatively eject the plurality of said sensors from the carrier.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the loading portion further comprises:

(a) a loading platform having an upper surface and a plurality of slots corresponding to the plurality of openings of the carrier, and

(b) a lower wall having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of slots of the loading platform wherein each sensor of the plurality of said sensors can be placed upright relative to a respective slot of the loading platform and a respective recess of the lower wall corresponding to that slot,

(c) the upper surface of the loading platform being spaced from the lower wall wherein;

(1) as the carrier is positioned above the plurality of said sensors placed upright in the loading portion and displaced downwardly, the plurality of said sensors are caused to be frictionally inserted through the openings of the carrier, and

(2) as the carrier is further displaced downwardly until it abuttingly engages the upper surface of the platform, sheaths of the plurality of said sensors are displaced upwardly from their stowed configurations thereby operatively allowing sensitive areas of the plurality of said sensors to be extended into respective recesses of the lower wall thereby exposing predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas beyond their respective sheaths of the plurality of said sensors.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the testing portion further comprises a gauge element connected to the testing platform and configured to enable a user to adjust the testing platform relative to a surface of a test specimen contained in the container.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein the gauge element is structured and configured to enable a user to adjust the testing platform to thereby prevent distal ends of said sheaths from touching or being submerged in said test specimen.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the extracting portion further comprises:

(a) a comb-like element having a plurality of spaced-apart fingers corresponding to respective openings of the carrier, and

(b) an end wall with a plurality of studs extending toward the comb-like element and corresponding to respective openings of the carrier,

(c) wherein after the fingers of the comb-like element have been inserted between the carrier and the sheaths of the plurality of said sensors inserted through the openings of the carrier;

(1) displacement of the carrier toward the end wall of the extracting portion until the studs abut the plurality of said sensors inserted through the openings of the carrier, whereupon the fingers of the comb-like element have slidingly displaced the sheaths returning them to their stowed configurations, and

(2) continued displacement of the carrier toward the end wall until the carrier abuttingly engages the end wall thereby causing the studs to eject the plurality of said sensors from the openings of the carrier.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 2, further comprising a timing mechanism configured to alert a user when the allotted time for submersion of the specified lengths of the sensitive areas of the test strips in the test specimen has transpired.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein the timing mechanism includes a switch which is automatically activated as the carrier contacts the testing platform when the specified lengths of the sensitive areas of the test strips are being submerged in the test specimen.

9. An apparatus for utilizing a plurality of sensors, each sensor having a test strip with a sensitive area surrounded by a slidably displaceable sheath in a stowed configuration wherein the sensitive area is configured to detect the presence of a certain substance in a liquid test specimen, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a carrier having a plurality of spaced-apart openings;

(b) a loading portion including;

(1) a loading platform having an upper surface and a plurality of slots corresponding to the plurality of openings of the carrier, and

(2) a lower wall having a plurality of recesses corresponding to the plurality of slots of the loading platform wherein each sensor of a plurality of said sensors can be placed upright relative to a respective slot of the loading platform and a respective recess of the lower wall corresponding to that slot,

(3) the upper surface of the loading platform being spaced from the lower wall wherein;

(A) as the carrier is positioned above the plurality of said sensors placed upright in the loading portion and displaced downwardly, the plurality of said sensors are caused to be frictionally inserted through the openings of the carrier, and

(B) as the carrier is further displaced downwardly until it abuttingly engages the upper surface of the platform, sheaths of the plurality of said sensors are displaced upwardly from their stowed configurations thereby operatively allowing sensitive areas of the plurality of said sensors to be extended into respective recesses of the lower wall thereby exposing predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas beyond their sheaths of the plurality of said sensors;

(c) a testing portion including;

(1) a base,

(2) a testing platform adjustably mounted to the base and structured to support the carrier with the plurality of said sensors inserted therethrough wherein only specified lengths of the predetermined lengths of the sensitive areas of the plurality of said sensors are submerged in a test specimen contained in the container;

(3) a container alignable with the base, and

(4) a gauge element configured to enable a user, in conjunction with the adjustable testing platform, to position the testing platform wherein only specified lengths of the sensitive areas of the plurality of sensors are operatively submerged in the test specimen;

(d) an extracting portion structured and configured to receive the carrier with the plurality of said sensors inserted therethrough, the extracting portion including;

(1) a comb-like element having a plurality of spaced-apart fingers corresponding to respective openings of the carrier, and

(2) an end wall with a plurality of studs extending toward the comb-like element and corresponding to respective openings of the carrier,

(3) wherein after the fingers of the comb-like element have been inserted between the carrier and the sheaths of the plurality of said sensors inserted through the openings of the carrier;

(A) displacement of the carrier toward the end wall until the studs abut the plurality of said sensors whereupon the fingers of the comb-like element have slidingly displaced the sheaths returning them to their stowed configurations, and

(B) continued displacement of the carrier toward the end wall until the carrier abuttingly engages the end wall thereby causing the studs to eject the plurality of said sensors from the openings of the carrier.